Arvyn Cerezo

1 month ago | bookriot.com | Arvyn Cerezo

Romantasy, a portmanteau of romance and fantasy, has grown in popularity over the last two years. Books in this subgenre typically feature straight couples, with an emphasis on heteronormative relationship styles. But despite the subgenre’s enormous success in the publishing landscape, there appears to be a lack of representation for LGBTQ folks. Why are there so few romantasy books featuring gay relationships, particularly between two men? “I believe there’s two reasons for this.

2 months ago | bookriot.com | Arvyn Cerezo

Once upon a time, Goodreads was the holy grail for tracking books, in addition to being an all-around bookish website. Many readers, however, fell out of love, bemoaning the platform’s outdated design and a dearth of necessary features. And since it’s associated with Amazon, many have sworn to have nothing to do with it. This is compounded by the many issues that plagued Goodreads over the years, such as the rise of bot reviewers, review bombing, and harassment of authors among other vile things.

2 months ago | flipboard.com | Arvyn Cerezo

1 hour agoThe secret to cheap flights? It’s not Google—it’s thisFind flights so cheap, you’ll book just because. The dream: taking off somewhere warm while everyone else is buried in snow. The reality? Travel prices are a constant rollercoaster. But here’s a little hint: Google Flights and Expedia don’t show every deal available.

2 months ago | bookriot.com | Arvyn Cerezo

National Geographic BooksThis searing memoir recounts one woman's epic journey to trace the global slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean—and find her place in the world. When Tara Roberts first caught sight of a photograph at Smithsonian’s Museum depicting the underwater archaeology group Diving With a Purpose, it called out to her. Here were Black women and men strapping on masks, fins, and tanks to explore Atlantic Ocean waters, seeking the wrecks of slave ships long lost in time.

Dec 23, 2024 | bookriot.com | Arvyn Cerezo

BookTok has undoubtedly made significant contributions to the publishing industry. It increased backlist sales, served as a marketing vehicle for frontlists, launched new authors, and generated revenue for both publishers and bookstores. But most importantly, the community inspired many young people to read—it bred new readers who will eventually seek out other books not recommended on the platform. Whether you like it or not, BookTok has moved the needle in an ailing industry.